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Implant Raises Cellular Army To Attack Cancer

holy_calamity writes "New Scientist reports on a sneaky new approach to getting the immune system to fight cancer. An implant releases a 'molecular perfume' irresistible to messenger immune cells, which enter the implant where they are given a sample of the cancer's 'scent' and a disperse signal that sends them scurrying to the nearest lymph node. There they convince other immune cells to start attacking anything that matches the sample they picked up."

2 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. Re:uhhh by realmolo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Say... your body just starts literally killing ALL cells... cancer and normal... "

    How do you think chemotherapy works? Or radiation therapy?

    Both treatments kill *all* cells. The idea is to kill the cancer cells *first*, before the treatment kills the patient.

  2. Re:uhhh by gehrehmee · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, except for the whole, smelling like a walking ashtray, coughing up nasty flem, and annoying the hell out of everyone around you thing.

    --
    "You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help" -- Calvin